Ancelotti Gets Jail Term for Tax Evasion But Avoids Prison

Ancelotti Gets Jail Term for Tax Evasion But Avoids Prison

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has been handed a one-year prison sentence by a Spanish court for tax evasion, but he will not serve any time behind bars.

The 66-year-old former Chelsea and Everton boss was found guilty of failing to declare €1m (£830,000) in tax on his salary during his first spell at Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015.

Despite the ruling, Ancelotti will avoid prison under Spanish law, which allows non-violent offenders without previous convictions to bypass jail time if their sentence is under two years. Instead, he has been ordered to pay a fine of €386,361 (£333,046).

“Never thought about committing fraud” – Ancelotti

Earlier this year, Ancelotti testified in court, insisting he had no intention of evading tax:

“I never thought about committing fraud. I was offered a net salary of €6m by Real Madrid, and I left the financial structure of it to my advisers. I thought it was normal, as at that time all the players and even the previous coach had done the same.”

Ancelotti repaid the debt in full back in December 2021.

Ancelotti Joins List of Football Stars in Tax Cases

Ancelotti’s case is the latest in a string of high-profile tax disputes involving football figures in Spain:

• Lionel Messi was given a 21-month prison sentence in 2017, later reduced to a fine of €252,000.

• Cristiano Ronaldo accepted an €18.8m fine in 2019.

• Jose Mourinho, another former Chelsea manager, was fined €2.2m for tax charges from his time at Real Madrid (2011-12).

£Focus Shifts to Brazil Job

Ancelotti recently ended his second spell at Real Madrid and took charge of the Brazilian national team, with eyes set on leading the Selecão into the 2026 World Cup.